Houston Symphony and Chorus Treat Audiences to Premier Performances of Baroque Masterpiece MESSIAH

The Houston Symphony celebrates the holiday season with a Baroque-era masterpiece, Handel'sMessiah, at 8 p.m. Dec. 15-16 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 17 in Jones Hall.

Considered the best-known English-language oratorio, Messiah has become a Houston Symphony holiday tradition. Through its brilliant arias and chorus, Messiah tells the story of Jesus Christ's life from prophecy to death and resurrection. From "Comfort ye, my people" to the final "Amen" chorus, listeners will get into the holiday spirit with this incredible performance by the Houston Symphony.

Praised conductor Paul Agnew will make his Houston Symphony debut leading both the orchestra and Houston Symphony Chorus. The chorus will join the orchestra and soloists Yulia Doren (soprano), Daniel Taylor (countertenor), Sam Levine (tenor) and Alex Rosen (bass) for this unforgettable performance. All featured soloists except Doren will be making their Houston Symphony debuts.

All concerts except for the Dec. 14 performance will take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. For tickets and information, please call (713) 224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center in Jones Hall (Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

About the Houston Symphony
During the 2016-17 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its third season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada, and continues its second century as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 87 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony's four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching thousands of people in Greater Houston. For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.